A person fleeing from federal immigration agents in St. Augustine, Florida, was fatally struck by a tractor trailer on Tuesday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The incident occurred around 6:40 a.m. during an encounter with agents from Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Four individuals in a vehicle fled the scene, and one ran across State Road 16 into the path of the tractor trailer. The driver of the vehicle stopped to provide assistance, but the individual died at the scene.
The deceased has been identified as a man, but his immigration status and nationality remain unknown, as does the reason for the encounter with federal agents. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office for traffic control.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security indicated that agents were conducting an operation that led to the death of a Mexican national. This incident follows other recent fatalities involving ICE agents, including the shooting of Joan Sebastian Durán Guerrero in Maine and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, neither of whom were targets of immigration enforcement operations.
Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon described the incident as a tragedy, attributing it to the actions of federal agents. Adriana Rivera, a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, stated that fear of ICE encounters can lead individuals to flee, resulting in dangerous situations.